Review: GREEN ARROW #25

Take a trip back to Zero Year with young Ollie Queen, fresh off of his time on “the island” in this very well crafted issue by Jeff Lemire and Andrea Sorrentino.

Jeff Lemire continues to tease readers with just what the hell went down on that island, and it serves as nice background to this story. In Zero Year we find an Oliver Queen who is still trying to hide from a society who thinks he is dead, using the anonymity provided to him to help clean up the world. Lemire does an excellent job of integrating this story into Zero Year while keeping it true to the Green Arrow tale he is creating, and also driving his current arc forward through examination of the past. His voice for younger-Ollie is fantastic, his naivety and nerves shining through his weakened exterior that has not dealt with the stress of his past in any way. The events of the story itself do not appear (as of yet) to shake the foundation of the DCU, but they provide an excellent framework for how Ollie has become the hero he is in the present day Green Arrow series. With each issue of Green Arrow it is being driven home that this is a man haunted by his past and this issue is a great look at the period of time when he is reintroducing himself to the world beyond the island and becoming the Green Arrow we all know well.

Andrea Sorrentino once again absolutely kills it with issue #25 of Green Arrow. Nostalgic shots of bearded Ollie will have long time Green Arrow fans having flashbacks and jaw dropping design work will reinforce that this is one of the best designed books produced within the New 52. The artwork is simply fantastic and Sorrentino is making Green Arrow his own more with each issue. This is a run that people will look back on in years to come and marvel at what was done for Green Arrow through design and innovative visual storytelling. Sorrentino is at the top of his game and this is one of the best looking books in comics.

The backup story from Lemire & Cowan was surprisingly interesting, exploring Ollie’s relationship to his sidekicks and those who have helped him in the past. This story appears to have dramatic implications going forward, and ticks all the right boxes for an effective backup story. Cowan has the unenviable fortune of being in an issue drawn so well by Sorrentino so it is impossible to not compare the two, but Cowan’s art does hold up well to Lemire’s script. I look forward to seeing where the two go with this backup tale.

Green Arrow #25 continues what has been a stellar run and ties into Zero Year with a finesse that is to be commended. It is a Green Arrow book at it’s core with nods to the Bat-centric event that readers will enjoy, and it is worth the price of admission for Sorrentino’s art alone. Green Arrow is one of the strongest superhero comics in the DC line and issue #25 is another example of what this creative team is doing right.